Accessibility Links

Fifa to test referees for performance enhancing drugs

May 24 2012, 11:03am, The Times

The idea to test referees has come from Fifa's medical expertsJOSE COELHO/EPA

The football fan who has long suspected that referees are watching a different game may today be awash with vindication after Fifa announced that it was considering making officials subject to drug tests.

Referees could be screened for performance-enhancing substances, although it is not known whether they would also be tested for anything hallucinogenic in their system.

The idea comes from Fifa’s medical experts, who believe that referees should have to be tested just like the players.

“We have to consider referees as part of the game,” Jiri Dvorak, the chief medical officer, said.

“We have started to discuss this and this is something for the future which will be discussed to include possibly an anti-doping programme for referees.